An image compatible with stereoscopic viewing (stereoscopic vision) that can be viewed as a stereoscopic image having depth is configured by combining the two images of a left-eye-purpose image and a right-eye-purpose image, which are images from different viewpoints. In order to obtain an image from these two viewpoints, in other words a binocular parallax image, for example, two imaging devices are arranged apart from each other to the left and to the right and capture images.
A pair of captured stereoscopic images are configured of the pair of images of: a left-eye-purpose image that is captured by the left-side imaging device and is observed by the left eye; and a right-eye-purpose image that is captured by the right-side imaging device and is observed by the right eye.
The stereoscopic image pair configured of the pair of the left-eye-purpose image and the right-eye-purpose image is displayed on a display device that can separate and present the left-eye-purpose image and the right-eye-purpose image respectively to the left eye and the right eye of an observer, and the observer is thereby able to perceive the images as a stereoscopic image.
However, in the case where two cameras are used to carry out photographing in order to capture these images from two different viewpoints, precise synchronization control of the two cameras is required which is extremely difficult, and accurate control of the convergence angle is also extremely difficult.
A stereoscopic imaging device in which an optical system is shared by combining light-polarizing polarization filters in such a way as to have a mutually orthogonal relationship in order to facilitate the adjustment of the lens system for carrying out stereoscopic imaging is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP 6-054991 B) for example.
Furthermore, a method for carrying out stereoscopic imaging with an imaging device configured from two lenses and one imaging means is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 2 (JP 2004-309868 A). The imaging device disclosed in this Patent Document 2 constitutes a configuration in which (a) a combination configuration of a lens and a horizontal component polarization filter, and (b) a combination configuration of a lens and a vertical component polarization filter are each set to locations that are set apart from an imaging surface of a CCD by a predetermined distance, and are set apart from each other by a space corresponding to the parallax of a human being, and these two combination configurations of (a) and (b) are used to acquire a left-eye image and a right-eye image.